Tear Gas Fired at Protesters Following IRGC Missile Attack on Ukrainian Aircraft in Tehran

According to reports and videos circulated on social media, protests and demonstrations have broken out at several Iranian universities, including Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, and Amirkabir University, in protest against the downing of a Ukrainian passenger aircraft by IRGC air defense missiles.

On Saturday, December 21st (January 11th), hours after Iranian officials and political and military authorities admitted to targeting the Ukrainian passenger aircraft in the skies south of Tehran, spontaneous protests erupted inside and outside University of Tehran and Amirkabir University, with demonstrators chanting against the government’s “lies” and “cover-ups.”

According to videos posted on social media, Islamic Republic security forces responded to the protesters by firing tear gas.

The gatherings and demonstrations at the two mentioned locations in Tehran gradually expanded, with increasing numbers of protesters. Images from the demonstrations have been circulated on social media.

Concerns About Another Internet Shutdown in Iran

Following Saturday’s protests in Iran’s capital against the firing of air defense missiles by Iranian armed forces at a Ukrainian passenger aircraft, some Deutsche Welle Persian viewers are reporting disruptions in internet connectivity in Tehran.

Iran witnessed bloody protests last November following a rise in gasoline prices. During that time, the government attempted to prevent reporting on violence and the spread of protests by cutting off internet access.

There are concerns that Iranian citizens may again experience internet shutdowns.

State news agency IRNA reported that the number of protesters is increasing. According to the agency, the large presence of protesters in Tehran has led the crowd toward Valisr Square. The report adds: “The crowd is moving from the intersection of Taleghani and Hafez streets to the intersection of Revolution and Hafez toward Valisr Square, with numbers increasing by the minute.”

Based on video footage circulated on social media, clashes have occurred between demonstrators in Tehran and law enforcement forces.

Images of protesters gathering outside Sharif University of Tehran. Demonstrators chant against the IRGC and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.

Another video from today’s gathering outside Amirkabir University protesting the Islamic Republic’s error in the crash of the Ukrainian aircraft in Iran.

At Sharif University of Technology, students held placards stating: “You were wrong, you made a mistake.” This chant targets Islamic Republic officials and references Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s statements in 1991 in response to a U.S. Navy warship targeting an Iranian passenger aircraft over the Persian Gulf.

In videos from these demonstrations, the following chants can be heard:

“We didn’t give martyrs to make compromises / We won’t praise a murderous leader”
“Death to liars”
“All these years of crime, death to this regime”
“Don’t call me seditious, you are the seditious oppressor”
“Commander-in-Chief, resign, resign”
“Military dictator, you are our ISIS”
“Referendum, referendum, this is the people’s slogan”
“IRGC commits crimes, the leader supports it”
“Be afraid, be afraid, we are all together”

News agency “Rokna” reported that on Saturday, December 21st in the afternoon, a group of Tehran residents, including students, artists, and citizens, gathered in front of Amirkabir University to hold a memorial ceremony for the victims of the incident.

According to the agency’s report, the gathered protesters, deeply grieving the tragic death of their compatriots, called for the resignation of officials responsible for and at fault in the incident.

Reza Pahlavi: This is Not Human Error, It is a Crime Against Humanity

Reza Pahlavi tweeted in response to the Islamic Republic’s error regarding the crash of the Ukrainian aircraft: “This is not human error; it is a crime against humanity, and the leader who orders fire is directly responsible. Enough is enough. Khamenei and his regime must go.”

Artists Threatening Those Who Invited People to Gather Facing Security Threats

Rokhsaneh Bani Etemad, an Iranian film director, following a tweet she posted today inviting people to gather at Azadi Square, wrote, “My invitation is hereby cancelled.”

The Iranian film director wrote: “The grieving people of Iran, the artists’ invitation to mourn our dear ones, which was scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, December 22nd, in squares across Iranian cities, was met with serious warnings from security agencies. To prevent any pretext and to protect the security and lives of the grieving people, my invitation is hereby cancelled.”

Another group of artists, including Seyyed Ali Salehi, Niky Karimi, Manijeh Hekmat, Behman Farmanara, Parviz Parastui, Tahmineh Milani, Shahre Soltani, and Mahaya Petrosyan, had supported Bani Etemad’s call.

Shirin Ebadi’s Petition Calling for Resignation of Islamic Republic Leaders

Shirin Ebadi, human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, on Saturday, December 21st (January 11th), submitted a petition calling for the resignation of all individuals who played decision-making and implementing roles in firing at the Ukrainian passenger aircraft. Ebadi’s petition has been published on the “petition” website for signature collection.

The petition states: “Stating ‘human error’ and ‘unintentional mistake’ does not close the case or end the suffering of those who lost family members and loved ones among the passengers.”

Shirin Ebadi told Deutsche Welle Persian: “In the petition I published online, given the painful experiences of over forty years of Islamic Republic rule and considering what has happened and the government’s lack of honesty and transparency that caused all these calamities, the last of which was losing our dear children who were leaving this troubled country for life and education, I asked all my compatriots to sign this petition.”

She said the petition calls for the resignation of the Supreme Leader, the President, the Commander of the IRGC Air Force, and all individuals involved in this human tragedy.

Shirin Ebadi said: “More signatures on this petition represent a vote in elections that the government has restricted for years under the guise of oversight. The government always appropriates every gathering for itself. More signatures on this petition will make the free world and the United Nations realize that the Iranian people do not want this government. People either have to shout in the streets—which we’ve repeatedly seen results in killing and arresting defenseless people—or find other ways to express their demands.”

She added: “Therefore, using the initiative of Radio Zamana, I published a petition so that those who believe we can no longer continue with this regime and that the continuation of this regime’s rule will lead to Iran’s collapse, can sign it.”

Shirin Ebadi said: “More signatures will make the United Nations hear the people’s voice better in its decisions. If you want Iran’s conditions to improve through peaceful means, please sign this petition so that when it reaches at least one million signatures, we can present it to the UN Human Rights Council and other decision-making bodies including the Security Council; although according to the charter, people cannot directly approach the Security Council, we can ask a neutral country to raise the case of this regime’s crimes on behalf of the Iranian people.”

Source: DW